Electric switch



y 1932- 5. s7 GREEN 1,868,461

ELECTRIC SWITCH Original Filed Aug. 1, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 20 1 s I Z d1 0 6/@ @127 I 26 wfimzZe 61 Green July 19, 1932. s. s. GREEN 1,868,461

ELECTRIC SWITCH Original Filed Aug. 1, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 19, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STANLEY S. GREEN, OF LA FAYETTE, INDIANA, ASSIG'NOR, TO DUN CAN ELECTRIC MAN- UFACTURIN G COMPANY, OF LA FAYETTE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS ELECTRIC SWITCH Application filed August 1, 1929, Serial No. 382,645. Renewed February 23, 1932.

My invention relates to switchesin grouped relation and is of particular service in connection with switches that are employed. in association with systems of electric current ,r, consumption, though the invention is not to 1:. members are in their predetermined set positions. These complemental holding formations are preferably pins and sockets that receive the pins. The manually operable switch members are preferably mounted to turn in which event the holding formations are eccentric to the manually operable switch members to which they pertain.

I also provide a. housing for the switch members, this housing being preferably constituted of a plurality of casings, each SWlUCll having a casing individual thereto that contains it. These casings are desirably collectively provided with a single cover which preferably constitutes the member that is cm- 35 ployed to holding the manually operable switch members in set position. The casings are desirably assembled into a unit, that constitutes the housing, by an assembling member that is received in aligned channels that W are formed in the casings. As I have practiced my invention, there is also a conductor that establishes electrical connection with some of the switches, this conductor being also received in aligned channels that are formed in the casings.

The invention will be more fully explained in connection with the accompanying drawlngs in which Fig. 1 is a front View illustrating the preferred embodiment of the in- 60 vention, a portion of the cover being removed; Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken gen erally on line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a rear View; and Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating an electric current consumption system haV- ing a service meter and the switches of my invention in association therewith, there being also illustrated a testing meter that is employed when the service meter is to be tested. y

Each of the switches A, B, C, D and E diagrammatically illustrated in Fig.4 and structurally illustrated in the remaining figures is preferably made in accordance with the switch structure disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 382,644, filedof even date herewith. Each of the switches D and E includes a stationary member having five pairs of contacting blades 1, 2; 3, 4; 5, 6; 7 8 and 9, 10. The switches A, B and C have four pairs of contacting blades 1, 2;

3,. 4; .5, 6; and 9, 10. Fig.4 illustrates one blade of each pair. The blades of each pair are provided with spacing means in the form of metallic washers 11 and fanchoring means in the form of metallic rods 12. The aforesaid blades and washers are received between the rectangular insulating plates 13 and 14. The rods are rivet ended, as indicated at 15 and 16, against the plates, the rivet ends of the rods exerting clampingpressure upon theaforesaid bladesand washers through the intermediation of said plates. The washers 11 that are alternated with the blades 7, 8, 9 and 10 fill the space between said plates sufiiciently to enable these plates to, exert clamping pressure upon said washers and blades with suflicient firmness to hold these fourblades in fixedrelation with each other and with said plates. Other washers 1-7 are employed inconjunction with the remaining blades'to enable said plates to clamp these blades in place. Pairs of blades 3, 4; and

5, 6 are coplanar and the pair of blades 7, 8

of switches D, E are coplanar with the pairs of blades 3,4; and 5, 6 of these two switches.

responding turning member.

her 18 is preferably journaled into corresponding plates 13 and 14. A knob 18' is suitably assembled with the front end of each body portion 18. Each such knob may be provided with a screw driver slot 18 for the reception'of a turning tool such as a screw driver or a handy coin. The contacting ends of the stationary blades of the stationary switching members are arcuately curved adjacent the corresponding body portions 18 and concentrically therewith. The blades 19 and 20 upon the turning members extend radially beyond the gaps between the member portions 18 and the adjacent stationary blades and are of suflicient width to reach the outer longitudinal sides of the stationary blades as the turning member is operated. A withdrawable metallic post'21 is screwed into each plate 14 to cooperate with a tongue 22 upon thecontiguous turning member 18 to limit the turning movement of this turning member in one direction, the movement of this member in the other direction being limited by the cooperation of this tongue with the inner long sides of the blades 9 and 10. The elements 21 and 9 and 10 of each switch confine the associated turning member to movement through an angle of ninety de: grees. The blades 19 and 20 of each switch are nearly, but not quite, halt circles, the inner or adjacent straight edges of these blades being slightly spaced apart from a plane that is inclusive of the axis of the cor- When the tongue 22 engages the corresponding post 21 the straight edges of the corresponding blades 19 and 20 are parallel with the long sides of the stationary blades and are substantially flush with the inner long sides of the stationary blades with respect to which they are complemental. Inthis adjustment of each turning member the corresponding pair of blades 3 and 4 receives the blade 19 as does also the pair of blades 5 and 6 that are coplanar with the corresponding blades 3 and 4. The blade 20 of each switch is similarly received between the blades of the associate coplanar pairs 1, 2 and 9, 10, and is withdrawn from the corresponding blades 9, 10, said blade 20 thus remaining in constant engagement with the corresponding blades 1 and 2. WVhen the tongue 22 of any switch engages the corresponding blades 9 and 10 the blade 19 of such switch is received between the blades 5,6, 7, 8 and the blade 20 of such switch is received between the blades 1 and 2. When the post 21 of any switch is withdrawn to bring its inner end flush with the corresponding insulating plate 14, the corresponding turning member 18 has its range of rotation increased to one hundred and-eighty degrees, the stationary blades 1 and 2 of such switch then serving as a m0- tion limiting stop in place of the post 21. When the tongue 22 of any switch engages the blades 1 and 2 of such switch the blade 19 of this switch is engaged only between the corresponding blades 3, 4 and the blade 20 is engaged only between the corresponding blades 9 and 10.

I provide a housing for the switches, this housing being desirablyinclusive of a plurality of casings 23 each individual to and containing a switch, all of the casings having a common cover 24. The casings are assembled in a group by means of a common assembling member which is in the form of a bar 25 that is received within aligned communicating channels 26 in the backs of the casings, assembling screws 27 passing through said bar and into the threaded bushings 28 that are molded in the backs of the casings. The assembling bar 25 may be mounted in place by means of a mounting screw 29. A circuit continuing conductor 30, preferably a metallic bar, is also received in some of the channels 26 and is brought into electrical connection with the line terminal bushings 31 pertaining to two adjacent switches D, E by means of metallic assembling screws 32. The aforesaid conductor is thus electrically connected with the pairs of contacts 7, 8 that pertain to these two switches D, E.

The cover24 for the housing or group of casings desirably also constitutes a member for holding the turning members of the switches in predetermined set positions, said holding member having holding formations 33 and 34 that are in the form of sockets and said turning members having holding formations 35 that are in the form of pins received in said sockets. Said pins and sockets are eccentric with respect to the corresponding turning members 18, whereby said turning members are held when the pins are received in the sockets. Pins 35 that pertain to the end switches A and E are desirably interiorly threaded to receive the stems of bolts 36 whose flanged heads are engaged with the cover 24 to hold this cover in place. The cover may also carry lugs 37 to receive sealed wires 38 that are also passed through enlargements of the aforesaid bolt heads.

This arrangement prevents theun'detectable removal of the cover. 7 r

v One use to which the switches of my invention may be put is illustrated in Fig. 4 where I have shown it in association with a systenr of current consumption which includes a load circuit whose sides 39, 40 and 41 are in circuit with a polyphase alternating current generator 42. The load, which may be incandescent lamps, for example, is illustrated at 42'. The service meter is inclusive of one pressure winding 43 on one core 44 which is inductively related to one metallic armature disc 45 and another pressure winding 46 on another core 47 which is inductively related to another armature disc 48, the two switches A, B.

armatures being fixed upon the common shaft 49. The service meter also has current windings 50 and 51 which are disposed about cores 52 and 53, respectively, these cores being inductively related to the armatures 45 and 48. The circuit relation of the pressure windings of the service meter with the load circuit is governed by the switches A, B and C, as will be readily apparent by an inspection of Fig. 4 and the previous description of the operation of the switches. The current windings 50 and 51 are respectively associated with the secondaries 54, 55 whose low wound primaries 56, 57 are respectively in the load sides 39, 41. The association of the service meter with said secondaries is governed by the switches D, E, as will be apparent by an inspection of Fig. 4. The testing meter illustrated at F is well known and need not be specifically described. l/Vhen this meter is employed the clips 58 and 59 which constitute terminals of its current winding 60 are applied by binding screws, illustrated in Fig. 4, to rods 12 of switches D, E, a jumper 61 is similarly applied to other rods of these two switches. The connection between the clip 59 and the current winding 60 of the testing meter is inclusive of the adjusting resistance 62 and the sec ondary 63 whose primary 64 is in bridge of the conductors that include the pressure winding 65 of the test meter in circuit. This pressure winding is inclusive of terminal clips 66 and 67 that are applied to rods of the A jumper 68 is applied to other rods of these two switches for the testing operation. It will be unnecessary to further describe the circuit illustrated in Fig. 4 inasmuch as the same will be readily understood by those skilled in the art and as my invention is not to be limited to its employment with any particular circuit.

Changes may be made without departing from the invention.

Having described my invention, I claim: 1. The combination with a plurality of independently operable interconnected electric switches, each switch having a manually operable switch member and a stationary switch member; of a member for holding the manually operable switch members in predetermined set positions, said holding memher and each of said manually operable switch members having complemental pin and socket holding formations which are disposed to be adapted for interengagement when said manually operable switch members are in their predetermined set positions. 2. The combination with a plurality of independently operable interconnected electric switches, each switch having a manually operable switch member and a stationary switch member; of a housing for said switches and inclusive of a cover that also constitutes a holding member, said holding member and each of said manually operable switch members having complemental holding formations which are disposed to be adapted for interengagement when said manually operable switch members are in their predetermined set positions.

8. The structure of claim 2 wherein the complemental holding formations are pins and sockets receiving the pins.

4. The structure of claim 2 wherein cover retaining devices are assembled with the holding formations upon a plurality of manually operable switch members.

5. The structure of claim 2 in which the manually operable switch members are mounted to turn and wherein the holding formations are eccentric to the manually operable switch members to which they pertain.

6. The structure of claim 2 in which the manually operable switch members are mounted to turn and wherein the holding formations are complemental pins and sockets that are eccentric to the manually operable switch members to which they pertain.

7. The structure of claim 1 in which the manually operable switch members are mounted to turn and wherein the pin and socket holding formations are eccentric to the manually operable switch members to which they pertain.

8. The combination with a plurality of switches; of a plurality of. casings, each switch having a casing individual thereto that contains it, said casings having aligned communicating channels; and an assembling bar in said channels and to which said casings are secured.

9. The combination with a plurality of switches; of a plurality of casings, each switch having a casing individual thereto that contains it, said casings having aligned communicating channels; and a conductor in said channels and establishing electrical con nection with said switches.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

STANLEY S. GREEN. 

